Hatch closure



\.|||||l. -l ....vnl lllllnsflllllll INVENTOR Dac. 27, 1938. E. H, MATTINGLEY HATCH cLosURE Filed April 19, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Flc-Ll'.v

EDWARD H.MATT|NGLEY E ,BY`

ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1938. E. H. MATTlNGLEY HATCH CLSURE Filed April 19, 1938 2 Sheetsheet 2 INVENTOR EDWARD 'H MATTINGLEY f f l ATTORNEYS Patented Dee. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES HATCH CLOSURE Edward H. Mattingley, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Chicago-Hutchins Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Delaware Application April 19, 193s, seriaiNo. 202,994

7 Claims.

The invention relates to hatch constructions for railway cars of the refrigerator type and more particularly to the closure means. It is the object of the invention to simplify and cheapen the construction, while retaining all of the advantages of the more complex structures. To this end the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings: v

Figure l is a vertical section through the hatch and closure taken in a plane longitudinal of the car roof;

Figure 2 is a top plan viewi Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing `a Vmodified construction;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the suspension link viewed at right angles to Figure 3.

In hatch constructions for railway cars it is standard to provide a hatch frame mounted on the roof having a portion extending above the plane of the roof and a depending portion extending through the roof lining. It is also standard to have a cover for the portion above the roof and a plug for sealing within the depending portion. 'Usually with such constructions the cover has a hinge connection to the roof and the plug an independent hinge connection so that each can be independently moved in the opening and closing of the hatch, While both remain permanently attached to the roof frame. The purpose of the independent hinge connectionsis to permit these members to move through separate paths, so that each will clear the frame. Thus, as the plug is seated at a lower point in the hatch frame than the cover, its path of movement must necessarily be different from that of the cover. In the present construction I have provided a common hinge for the cover and plug while at the same time permitting the plug to move through a different path from that of the cover. I have also provided means for resiliently holding the plug seated Whenever the cover is closed.

In detail, A is the car roof shown as formed of separate roofing sheets having upstanding adjacent flanges covered by a transverse seam cap B. C is the hatch frame which may be made of any suitable construction and supported in any suitable way in the roof frame, as for instance by means of the transverse members D.

E is` the hatch cover which is formed with a depending annular ange F surrounding and substantially parallel to an upwardly extending tapering portion C of the frame C. G are reenforcing angle bars secured to the cover E be- -the plug so that when the ing preferably attached to a raised central panel E thereof. The bars G extend beyond the cover and are provided at their outer ends with eyes G which are pivotallyl connected by pins H with bifurcated brackets H secured to the seam caps 5 B. At its opposite end the cover Eis provided with a bifurcated bracket I for embracing a bar J, which latter is pivotally attached to a bracket K mounted on the roof and extends upward and then horizontally over the cover. This bar has a series of apertures J therethrough, and in cooperation with a locking bolt L forms a means for either locking the cover in closed position or supporting it in diierent inclinations above the hatch opening.

Theplug M may be of any suitable construction for seating within the downwardly tapering portion of the frame C. Instead, however, of making this plug independent of the cover, it is suspended from the latter through the medium 2 of eye bolts N and O secured respectively to the cover and to the plug and connecting rings P. These together form a swinging suspension for cover is swung upward around the hinge pivot H the plug is permitted to rise substantially vertically instead of passing through an arcuate path concentric with said pin. This permits the plug to clear all portions of the frame C in both its opening and closing movement and to nd its seat in said frame.

To insure the proper seating of the plug and the retention of the same in closed position whenever the cover is closed, I have arranged between these members a resilient member Q. This is preferably formed of a pair of resilient bars which extend diagonally of the cover beneath the same, being centrally secured thereto, as by rivets Q', and then. inclining outward and downward and provided at their lower ends with 40 the foot portions Q2 which bear upon the plug. 'I'he proportioning is such that when 'the' cover is in locked position the member Q will be placed under stress so as to resiliently press the plug to its seat. Thus, in any oscillation or vibrations of the car, there will be no danger of the plug separating from its seat. To complete the closure the depending flange F of the cover E is preferably provided with a resilient gasket or strip R, which when in contact with the frame will form an effective seal.

In Figure 3 a modified construction is illustrated in which the plug M is centrally suspended from the cover E through the medium of a resiliently yieldable link S. This link comprises two telescopically engaged cup-shaped casing members S and S2 containing a coil spring T and limited in outward movement by pins U on the member S2 engaging slots U in the member S'. The member S2 is securedto the plug by a bolt V and the member S has connected to its upper end a U-shaped strap W embracing a bifurcated Y will properly seat in the hatch frame.

bracket X, the furcations of which have lateral slots X for the passage of a bolt Y also passing through the member W. The arrangement is such that the slots X will permit a limited lateral movement of the hanger link S so that the plug M Also, the members S and S2 and spring T are so proportioned that when the cover E is fastened down the spring T will be compressed to resiliently hold the plug M seated.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame beneath said cover, a connection for suspending said plug from said cover, and resilient means between said cover and plug for forcing and holding the latter to its seat when said cover is closed.

2. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame beneath said cover, a connection for suspending said plug from said cover and permitting relative lateral movement, and a resilient member between said cover and plug stressed by the closure of the cover to resiliently press said plug to its seat.

3. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame beneath said cover, a connection for suspending said plug from said cover and permitting relative lateral movement, and a resilient bar centrally attached to said cover having depending obliquely inclined portions terminating in feet for contacting with said plug, whereby the closing of said cover will stress said bar to resiliently press said feet against said plug and hold the same to its seat.

4. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame beneath said cover, a pair of members for suspending said plug from said cover in the longitudinal central plane thereof, and a pair of resilient bars centrally crossing each other and secured to each other the outer ends of said bars bearing against said plug to resiliently press the same to its seat.

5. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge connection for said cover, a plug for engagement with said frame, a suspensory connection for said plug from said cover permitting movement through separate paths during the opening and closing of said hatch, and resilient means between said cover and plug for forcing 'and holding the latter to its seat when said cover is closed.

6. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge connection for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame, and a resiliently compressible link centrally suspending said plug from said cover and adapted in the closed position of the latter to press said plug to its seat.

7. In a hatch construction, the combination with a hatch frame, of a cover therefor, a hinge connection for said cover, a plug for engaging said frame, and a resilient suspensory connection between said cover and plug comprising telescopically engaged cup-shaped members one of which is centrally attached to said plug, a pivotal connection between the other of said members and said hatch cover permitting relative lateral movement, means for limiting the axial expansion movement of said telescopically engaged cupshaped members, and a helical spring enclosed within said cup-shaped members and adapted to resiliently press said plug to its seat when said cover is closed.

EDWARD I-I. MAI'I'INGLEY. 

